The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-07-09

| His xn history in the wilderness gave him
| hope for his race. His prayers, his peni-
| tence, his remuneration of the world, his life
devoted to COP, had removed the burden
and agony of his soul, and he had found
peace, and rest aud grace, and heavenly
| light What he had felt was possible for all
Israel. If they could only be brought to re-
| solve, to turn, to repent, to live new life,
their repentance would bring down showers
of blessing, as it had always done in the past,
and the lightnings and thunders of Judgment
would break in wrath on their foes, but in
heavenly help TO themselves. The repent
ance of Israel would bring the Messiah. He
knew he was near. 1t had been revealed
even before his birth that he himself was to
go before him, in the spirit and power of
Elias, to make ready people prepared for
the Lord. The call of Con rang in his soul
like trumpet, to go forth and preach to the
people the coming of the expected Deliverer,
in judgment to the impenitent and grace to
the contrite. Led by the Divine Spirit,
through long years of spiritual struggle, his
soul turned inward on itself and upward to
Con, he had at length felt equal to taking the
sublimest and most terrible position into
which frail man could be raised by the AL
mighty-that of the herald predicted by his
favorite Isaiah to pioneer the way of the Mes
siah of GoD.-Dr. c.. Geihie, Life and
Words of CHRIST"
The striking manner and method of the
new prophet, and the general expectancy of
the pious Israelites,-so long had it been
since genuine prophetic voice had been
heard in the land, no prophet having ap-
peared since Malachi, period of more than
four hundred years, caused great multitudes
from all parts of Palestine to resort to the
desert to see and hear the wonderful herald
of the Messiah and preacher of righteousness.
which alone would prepare for the coming of
the Kingdom of heaven" as the expected
reign of the Messiah was called. And as
might be expected under the circumstances,
the strange ministry of one whose dress and
manner would recall the memory of Elijah,
made profound impression upon all who
saw and heard him. So thorough and deep
was the interest which he awakened every
where, that it is recorded, "Then went out
to him Jerusalem and all Judea, and all the
region round Jordan, and were baptized Jim
mersed, probably by him in the River Jor-
dan, confessing their SINS" The immersion
in the river which he practiced symbolized
the reformation which he preached and which
his disciples avowed. The ceremonial ablu-
tions with which the people we're familiar
would readily suggest the significance of the
rite. If as some think, the time of Johns
ministry (B. G. 26) was a sabbatical year,
that fact will explain the apparent extrava-
gance of the language describing the attend
ance upon his ministry.
The burden of the theme of his preaching
was Repent (reform), for the kingdom of
heaven is at hand (about to GOMEZ" Be-
cause the reign of the Messiah was approach
ing, the people were vehemently exhorted to
prepare to enter into the blessings and to es-
cape the calamities which would surely at
tend its righteous and Divinely powerful ad-
ministration. The expected kingdom of
heaven in its highest prophetic meaning was
the Divine government of mankind by
king (anointed one-Messiah) who should
spring from the royal family of Israel and
reign forever. When it should be established
the righteous would be approved and blessed
by its administration and the wicked would
be condemned and punished. Its judgments
would be based upon real character, and no
righteous pretense or hypocrisy would escape
condemnation any more than avowed impi-
ETY. and notorious wickedness.
Among the ruling classes of the Jews were
two parties called Pharisees and Sadducees.
The former were strict pietists and formal
lists, who distinguished themselves by their |
adherence to the ancient interpretations of
Scripture and doctrines of belief, and their
formal observance of the ceremonies of re-
igion. The Sadducees, on the other hand,
were extremely rationalistio, and rejected |
many of the historic beliefs, and neglected |
the ceremonies of their religion, claiming to !
esteem righteousness above religious opin- |
ion or observance, and exercising liberty in |
the Interpretation of the Scriptures. Both
parties, however based their Messianic ex-
pectations and claims to the privileges of the
kingdom of GoD or heaven upon their race
and descent from Abraham, rather than upon
religious faith and practice, or personal char
acter. John seeing many of these coming
to, probably accepting his baptism, charac-
terized them by an epithet and Interrogation
-" Brood of viper, who hath warned you to
flee from the coming wrath?'-which de-
scribes them as crafty and deceitful, and SO,
unfit and improper candidates who sought
only to strengthen their self righteous con-
ceit, as they did not consider themselves, by
virtue of their lineage and high standing, in
any wise in danger of the judgment about to
come upon the ungodly in the Messianic
reign" "If you accept baptism, produce,
then, he says, fruit worthy of reformation;"
that is, fruit that would prove their reforma-
ton. He warned them not to presume upon
their lineage as children of Abraham, as GoD
was able to train up from the children of the
desert, it may be, true spiritual children of
Abraham, who was the father really of the
faithful.